No brainer, World Champions. And to top it off they didn’t lose any players; They got Nick Van Excel and Michael Finley and they gained another player to develop overseas thanks to the draft.

2. Indiana Pacers

Signed Sarunas Jasikevicius, got Danny Granger at number 17 in the draft and get Ron Artest back. We could see a championship contending team here with Jermaine O’Neal, Ron Artest, Danny Granger, Stephen Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, David Harrison, Sarunas Jasikevicius, and Fred Jones to build on.

3. Detroit Pistons

This might be a bit high, but this team also kept the status quo with their monster front line and solid backcourt, and with a new coach, Flip Saunders, we should see a lot more of the bench players.

4. Miami Heat

On paper this is the best team in the league, but with Haslem, Tione, and Posey trying to share minutes, look for Walker to demand a trade or whine. This team is a re-run of the 04 Lakers. They will do good, but in the East Coast Finals, they will be exploited

5. Houston Rockets

This team is going to be incredible next year. Stromile Swift and Rafer Alston were good additions and will make this team one of the most fun and exciting teams in the league next year.

6. Denver Nuggets

This team is just going to keep getting better, George Karl made Carmelo Anthony an excellent player and with Miller, K-Mart, Camby, Melo, and Voshon all healthy, this team will do great things under George Karl.

7. New Jersey Nets

This team will easily win the Atlantic. With Kidd at the helm and Vince and RJ making a great 1-2-3 punch, this team will be hard to top in the Atlantic. Nenad Kritstic and Mark Jackson will also help the teams frontcourt.

8. Dallas Mavericks

This team used to always be in the top 5 in the league, but Finley is gone, there is no trio like there used to be, but they are still a good team. Avery Johnson will make this team play D and get them into the platoffs.

9. Boston Celtics

Ryan Gomes will have a great impact on this team in the young squad. With Pierce, Banks, Gomes, and AJ all starting, this team will be very fun to watch IMO.

10. Cleveland Cavaliers

This team is going to be good. Larry Hughes will provide some good D and shooting and take away pressure from LeBron. Big Z will continue to contribute and Gooden will continue to help the frontline.

11. Golden State Warriors

This team is going to be great next year. With Amare Stoudamire hurt, the Warriors will take advantage of other teams and will have a good chance to win the Pacific. Baron Davis completely lifted this team up so much and will really make this team a winner.

12. Chicago Bulls

Great young team, Chandler will shine this year and get a lot of time, Ben Gordon, Hinrich, and Duhon are good players that can start any night and will lead the team this year.

13. Washington Wizards

Larry Hughes is gone, but Arenas and Butler will make a good tandem duo for a long time on this team. They have no frontcourt, but in the weak east, the Wizards should make the playoffs.

14. Sacramento Kings

I’m not totally convinced about the Kings new look. They have a good starting 5, but chemistry problems and a problem with depth will hold them back a bit. They should still make the playoffs though without fail.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves

KG does not like to lose and will do whatever it takes to take this team back to the playoffs. Rashad McCants will provide the team a good guard for the future and will make an impact this year. They will sneak into the playoffs, but get eliminated.

16. Memphis Grizzlies

This team has a good foundation now with Eddie Jones, Pau Gasol, Mighty Mouse, and Hakkim Warrick. This team will be fun to watch and will be a sleeper this year.

17. Philadelphia 76ers

This team finally got what they needed. Allen Iverson is looking forward to practices now and is praising Mo Cheeks. A bit of defense, and some good chemistry will definitely make this team compete.

18. Los Angeles Lakers

This is going to be interesting. Kobe with Phil will help the team, but no all-star center and a good spot-up shooter will make this team lose. Kobe carrying the team will not lead them to the playoffs.

19. Phoenix Suns

Not having Amare will hurt this team a lot. Nash will have to carry the team on his back and hope that Marion will bust-out this year. This team will be better once Amare gets back and might even make the playoffs, but they will not win the pacific.

20. Orlando Magic

Great potential on this team. Howard and Nelson will continue to improve and Francis will get the glory. Another two years until they will make a lot of noise in the league though.

21. Seattle Supersonics

This team was a real sleeper last year, but losing Jerome James and Reggie Evans will not help. They kept Allen, but the team won’t be the same as last years.

22. Milwaukee Bucks

TJ Ford is back and this team will be much better than past years, but they need a year or two to mesh. Simmons, Bogut, and Ford will have good years and as will Mason, but they need to work together.

23. Los Angeles Clippers

Great talent, but they have not made the playoffs in so long, there is really not too much to say. This team will be better soon if they get a new Gm, but until then, they have to wait.

24. Toronto Raptors

Joey Graham will have an immediate impact on this team and Chris Bosh will continue to shine. The team is going to be much better chemistry wise, but they are too in-experienced to do much. 3 more years and this team will be good.

25. New York Knicks

Isiah Thomas has no idea what he is doing. He is still playing NBA Live and not listening to Larry Brown. This team has a long way to go.

26. Portland Trailblazers

Nate McMillan will be a good coach for the Clips and provide a good sense of direction, but this young team still has some problems that need to be smoothed out. They will show good signs, but will have to wait.

27. Charlotte Bobcats

This team is going to be good soon, but they are too young right now to make much of an impact. In 2 years the playoffs will be in sight for this team.

28. Utah Jazz

The team is going to be improving, but lack of leadership and injuries will plague this team. Just a few more years for them.

29. New Orleans Hornets

Smith and Paul will be fun to watch, but the team doesn’t have a real PF, or SF yet and needs more pieces to compete. Will be fun to watch in the future though.

30. Atlanta Hawks

Joe Johnson is getting vastly overpaid and the team chemistry is going to be all shook up from Jason Collier’s death. The team has talent, but in the wrong places.

Ooooh, dunno if I'm just buying into the big names, but I'm sold on Miami winning the Finals this year, so #4 is a little low for me (especially behind the who-knows-what-they're-gonna-get Pacers and Detroit Pistons). Good job about Johnson being WAY overpaid on the Hawks, but putting them below New Orleans and Toronto's just mean (better apologize to the Bobcats and the Jazz, too... they haven't hit the Raptors level yet)!

Player32 wrote:Ooooh, dunno if I'm just buying into the big names, but I'm sold on Miami winning the Finals this year, so #4 is a little low for me (especially behind the who-knows-what-they're-gonna-get Pacers and Detroit Pistons). Good job about Johnson being WAY overpaid on the Hawks, but putting them below New Orleans and Toronto's just mean (better apologize to the Bobcats and the Jazz, too... they haven't hit the Raptors level yet)!

Man, can't you see? The Heat are the 04 Lakers. Overload on chemistry and are going to be having problems getting the ball everywhere and keeping everyone happy. Wade already doesn't like the offese, Tione will want more minutes and will leave. Pacers just have the advantage of having better chemistry and depth everywhere. They have a good dose of players, not to many of the same type. Heat just will not finish well. IMO these rankings are my predicition for the year and do not judge teams by how they look on paper

How they look on paper is one thing... but I'm not buying that the Heat are gonna lose with Shaq being as hungry as Garnett and Kobe this season. Even though KB & KG are pissed about missing the playoffs, Shaq's still craving a ring to show off in front of the Staples Center next summer. Combine that with Dwayne Wade (who's adjusting have more options on the team than simply him and Shaq).

GP and Shaq are there to remind everyone of what happened to the 04 Lakers. There's no big headed Kobe or glory craving Karl Malone anymore. Just two veteran stars looking for one more ring. And, with Antoine's 3's, Jason's playmaking, and Dwayne's overall talent... there's no reason to question it. Shaq & Gary are gonna make sure the Laker fiasco is pointed as Kobe Bryant's fault in the end.

Besides, their chemistry didn't seem to have ANY issues in the preseason games I've seen. We'll see when the season hits.

Player32 wrote:How they look on paper is one thing... but I'm not buying that the Heat are gonna lose with Shaq being as hungry as Garnett and Kobe this season. Even though KB & KG are pissed about missing the playoffs, Shaq's still craving a ring to show off in front of the Staples Center next summer. Combine that with Dwayne Wade (who's adjusting have more options on the team than simply him and Shaq).

GP and Shaq are there to remind everyone of what happened to the 04 Lakers. There's no big headed Kobe or glory craving Karl Malone anymore. Just two veteran stars looking for one more ring. And, with Antoine's 3's, Jason's playmaking, and Dwayne's overall talent... there's no reason to question it. Shaq & Gary are gonna make sure the Laker fiasco is pointed as Kobe Bryant's fault in the end.

Besides, their chemistry didn't seem to have ANY issues in the preseason games I've seen. We'll see when the season hits.

Well it is different. In preseason the coaches are giving everyone sparing minutes. With the skill level of this team and the overall players there, IMO there is no way that we will not see players getting mad. Wade and Shaq the year before with Posey, IMO the best team in the league. The team they have right now is just not going to work with minutes. Haslem got an over-generous contract and will silently demand a trade if he doesn't get good mins. Tione.... crybaby. I just don't see this team winning the championship

I'm confident enough in the maturity of Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton that the locker room has two solid role models who will set a championship-caliber example for the rest of the team (and crack some jokes, too). Antoine will probably cause the most trouble (and that's saying something on a team with JDub), but it's only because the media's putting the team under a microscope and he'll cry. The league's paying close attention to Miami because (like you said) everyone thinks they're gonna be the 04 Lakers and everyone's waiting for egos to clash. I'm gonna give these professionals the bennefit of the doubt. In all the years Shaq's been playing, I've never known him to make the same mistake twice. He'll make sure the Heat are under control.

alot of writing there CABALLA but I don't agree with some things. The Celtics may be too high, Jazz way too low and Hawks will be better than the pathetic raptors and Bobcats! You got the Warriors about right though it seems

Player32 wrote:Yeah, agree w/ Big Mig. Little low for the Jazz & Hawks, little high for Celts & Pacers, but otherwise accurate for the most part.

I have been a fan of the Jazz for sometime, but I just can't see them doing well this year in the Southwest divison. Not with the Nuggets there anyway. The Celtics are going to break out. They have a great young core this year and Ryan Gomes, Tony Allen, Al Jefferson, and Delonte West will show that this team is ready for the Big Game

They have a better frontcourt than last year, to go with a helthy R-Jeff, Kidd & Carter.

8.- Cleveland Cavaliers.

This is the year of LeBron. They did what they had to do, resigning Z and signing some help in the backcourt (Hughes, Damon Jones) and adding a good 6th man (Marshall).

9.- Denver Nuggets.

Karl is going to make then play hard from the beginning of the season. Still a couple players away from being a contender, tho.

10.- Phoenix Suns.

They'll be higher once Amare comes back. Worse than last year, but still dangerous.

11.- Sacramento Kings.

If they learn to play defense (big if), watch out. If not, first round exit at best.

12.- Philadelphia 76ers.

This team has it all (except a bench) to be the sleeper of the next season. Health is a big issue, tho.

13.- Washingotn Wizards.

Have gotten better, trading Kwame for Caron Butler and adding Daniels. Jarvis Hayes may be ready to make the leap.

14.- Milwaukee Bucks.

TJ Ford is back, they have added a legit center (Magloire), a better than average sf (Simmons) who plays some defense and the first pick of the draft (Bogut). Also, resigning Michael Redd was big.

15.- Golden State Warriors.

This team depends on Baron staying injury-free most of the season. If he does, they're (almost) a lock for the playoffs. If not, things can get ugly.

16.- Chicago Bulls.

This team played great defense last year, and they have talent on offense. No reason to believe they will fall more.

17.- Seattle Sonics.

The only real blow of this offseason was losing McMillan, but they resigned every player they needed. But if they're going to repeat last season succes, some players need to take a step forward (Ridnour, Collison) and get some production form the three-headed monster they have at the center position (Potapenko, Swift & Petro). Fortson should not start.

18.- New York Knicks.

There's only one reason for rating this team this high. Larry Brown.

19.- Memphis Grizzilies.

Fratello is a top 5 coach that will have this team in the playoff hunt.

20.- Minnesota T'Wolves.

This may be the worst supporting cast Garnett has had in his career. How McHale is still the GM is beyond me.

21.- LA Lakers.

P-Jax is back, and Kobe is one of the better players of the league. And also Odom seems like a great fit for their offense.Oh, and they also have the worst frontcourt of the whole league.

22.- Boston celtics.

One real star (Pierce), another good player (Davis) and a bunch of youngers who may or may not be ready for something else. This team is the hardest to rate in the whole NBA.

23.- Utah Jazz.

Great coach, but only AK is a great player, Deron Williams is a rookie, Loozer and Okur are overrated and the others are just role players.

24- Orlando Magic.

On the positive side, they have Dwight Howard, who will keep getting better, and a young pg with big upside in Jameer Nelson. On the negative side, their only addition was Keyon Dooling...

25.- Portland TrailBlazers

This team is rebuilding, and hiring McMillan is a step in the right direction. But they're years away from being good.

26.- LA Clippers.

On paper, they're better than this, but they're still the Clips. They'll find a way to f*ck it.

27.- Atlanta Hawks.

This is going to be one of the most exciting teams next season. One of the most exciting to play against, that is.

28.- Toronto Raptors.

They'll be a good team, in 3 or 4 years. C-Villa and Graham are rookies, Araujo looks like a bust and Calderon is their best pg. Doesn't look good.

29.- Charlotte Bobcats.

Still think they botched their second pick in the draft. With Okafor, there was no need for May. At least, they'll be better than the Hornets.

30.- New Orleans Hornets.

This team is only a couple players away from being a contender (Jordan & Shaq). Some young talent but an overall awful team.

CABALLA wrote:I have been a fan of the Jazz for sometime, but I just can't see them doing well this year in the Southwest divison. Not with the Nuggets there anyway. The Celtics are going to break out. They have a great young core this year and Ryan Gomes, Tony Allen, Al Jefferson, and Delonte West will show that this team is ready for the Big Game

The Celtics are still 1 or 2 years away from totally exploding. You think that the 2nd round pick Ryan Gomes is going to be something? and on a team with guys in front of him at his position........ Look for Gerald Green to be the one that blows up the most in 2 years along with Jefferson and maybe Perkins